Apparatus and methods for enabling recovery from failures in optical networks

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for enabling recovery from failures in up to M working paths of a set of N working paths that are allocated N frequency slots of L different slot widths, where M, N and L are positive integers, N≧L&gt;1, and N&gt;M&gt;1. The apparatus includes a processor and a control plane interface. The processor is operative to allocate protection frequency slots to M protection paths in different manners depending on whether M is greater than L, equal to L or less than L. The control plane interface is operatively associated with the processor and is operative to effect provisioning of the M protection paths for supporting recovery from the failures. Related network, apparatus and methods are also disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/731,039,filed Dec. 30, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,054,955.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to optical networks, and moreparticularly to optical networks that utilize or are configured toutilize a flexibly allocated optical spectrum.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A flexible dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) grid has beenintroduced in Edition 2.0 of the International Telecommunication Union(ITU) Recommendation ITU-T G.694.1 (February 2012).

The following references are further believed to represent the state ofthe art:

an article entitled “Spectrum-Efficient and Agile CO-OFDM OpticalTransport Networks: Architecture, Design, and Operation”, by GangxiangShen and Moshe Zukerman, in IEEE Communications Magazine, May 2012,pages 82-89;

an article entitled “Spectrum-Efficient and Scalable Elastic OpticalPath Network: Architecture, Benefits, and Enabling Technologies”, byMasahiko Jinno, Hidehiko Takara, Bartlomiej Kozicki, Yukio Tsukishima,Yoshiaki Sone, and Shinji Matsuoka, in IEEE Communications Magazine,November 2009, pages 66-73;

an article entitled “Flexible Architectures for Optical Transport Nodesand Networks”, by Steven Gringeri, Bert Basch, Vishnu Shukla, RomanEgorov, and Tiejun J. Xia, in IEEE Communications Magazine, July 2010,pages 40-50;

an article entitled “100G and Beyond with Digital Coherent SignalProcessing”, by Kim Roberts, Douglas Beckett, David Boertjes, JosephBerthold, and Charles Laperle, in IEEE Communications Magazine, July2010, pages 62-69;

an article entitled “Elastic Optical Networking: A New Dawn for theOptical Layer?”, by Ori Gerstel, Masahiko Jinno, Andrew Lord, and S. J.Ben Yoo, in IEEE Communications Magazine, February 2012, pages S12-S20;

an article entitled “IETF Work on Protection and Restoration for OpticalNetworks”, by David W. Griffith in Optical Networks Magazine,July/August 2003, pages 101-106; and

an Internet Draft draft-ietf-ccamp-gmpls-recovery-functional-03.txtentitled “Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) RecoveryFunctional Specification”, of the Network Working Group, edited byJonathan P. Lang and Bala Rajagopalan and dated October 2004.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus andmethods for enabling recovery from failures in optical networks thatutilize or are configured to utilize a flexibly allocated opticalspectrum.

The term “recovery” is used throughout the present specification andclaims to denote both types of recovery, namely protection andrestoration.

The term “failure” is used throughout the present specification andclaims to include a failure which disables communication over a workingpath or link, or degrades communication over the working path or link toan unacceptable level.

The term “elastic optical network” (EON) is used throughout the presentspecification and claims to include an optical network that makes use ofa flexibly allocated optical spectrum and of optical transceivers thatare operable in such flexibly allocated optical spectrum and cangenerate optical paths with elastically adaptable bandwidth.

The term “optical transceiver” is used throughout the presentspecification and claims to include a combination of an opticaltransmitter and an optical receiver.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention apparatus for enabling recovery from failures in up to Mworking paths of a set of N working paths that are allocated N frequencyslots of L different slot widths, where M, N and L are positiveintegers, N≧L>1, and N>M>1, the apparatus including a processoroperative to allocate protection frequency slots to M protection pathsas follows: if M<L, to allocate M protection frequency slots of slotwidths corresponding to the M greatest different slot widths of the Ldifferent slot widths to the M protection paths, if M=L, to allocate Mprotection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to the Ldifferent slot widths to the M protection paths, and if M>L, to allocateL protection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to the Ldifferent slot widths to L of the M protection paths and to allocate M−Ladditional protection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to atleast one of the L different slot widths to the remaining M−L protectionpaths, and a control plane interface operatively associated with theprocessor and operative to effect provisioning of the M protection pathsfor supporting recovery from the failures.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes an input unitoperatively associated with the processor and operative to receive oneof an externally generated instruction and an externally generatedmessage, wherein the processor is operative to allocate the protectionfrequency slots to the M protection paths in response to the one of theexternally generated instruction and the externally generated message.

In some embodiments, the N frequency slots of L different slot widthsinclude one of the following: frequency slots of a flexible densewavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) grid according to Edition 2.0 ofthe International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Recommendation ITU-TG.694.1 (February 2012), frequency slots that are flexibly allocated,but not according to the flexible DWDM grid according to Edition 2.0 ofthe ITU Recommendation ITU-T G.694.1 (February 2012), and a combinationof some frequency slots of the flexible DWDM grid according to Edition2.0 of the ITU Recommendation ITU-T G.694.1 (February 2012) and somefrequency slots that are flexibly allocated, but not according to theflexible DWDM grid according to Edition 2.0 of the ITU RecommendationITU-T G.694.1 (February 2012).

In some embodiments, at least one of the M protection paths includes abackup label switched path (LSP).

In some embodiments, the N working paths are allocated the N frequencyslots of L different slot widths for use with at least L different bitrates which include at least two of the following bit rates:substantially 100 Gigabit per second (Gb/s), substantially 400 Gb/s, andsubstantially 1 Terabit per second (Tb/s).

In some embodiments, the L different slot widths include at least two ofthe following slot widths: 50 Gigahertz (GHz), 75 GHz, and 150 GHz.

In some embodiments, at least one of the M protection paths includes arestoration path.

In some embodiments, the apparatus is included in a network control andmanagement system (NCMS). In other embodiments, the apparatus isincluded in a network element (NE) at a node of an elastic opticalnetwork (EON).

There is also provided in accordance with a further embodiment of thepresent invention a method of enabling recovery from failures in up to Mworking paths of a set of N working paths that are allocated N frequencyslots of L different slot widths, where M, N and L are positiveintegers, N≧L>1, and N>M>1, the method including allocating protectionfrequency slots to M protection paths, the allocating including if M<L,allocating M protection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding tothe M greatest different slot widths of the L different slot widths tothe M protection paths, if M=L, allocating M protection frequency slotsof slot widths corresponding to the L different slot widths to the Mprotection paths, and if M>L, allocating L protection frequency slots ofslot widths corresponding to the L different slot widths to L of the Mprotection paths and M−L additional protection frequency slots of slotwidths corresponding to at least one of the L different slot widths tothe remaining M−L protection paths, and effecting provisioning of the Mprotection paths for supporting recovery from the failures.

In some embodiments, the method further includes comparing M to L todetermine a satisfied one of the conditions, wherein the allocatingincludes carrying out allocation of the protection frequency slots tothe M protection paths according to the satisfied one of the conditions.

In some embodiments, the allocating includes automatically allocatingthe protection frequency slots to the M protection paths. In otherembodiments, the allocating includes allocating the protection frequencyslots to the M protection paths in response to one of an externallygenerated instruction and an externally generated message.

In some embodiments, the method further includes identifying a workingpath of the set of N working paths in which a failure occurs as a failedworking path, selecting one of the M protection paths for use inrecovering from the failure in the failed working path, determiningwhether a frequency slot allocated to the failed working path isnarrower than a protection frequency slot allocated to the selectedprotection path, and effecting provisioning of only a first sub-slot ofthe protection frequency slot allocated to the selected protection paththat has a slot width corresponding to a slot width of the failedworking path for supporting recovery from the failure in the failedworking path in response to a determination that the frequency slotallocated to the failed working path is narrower than the protectionfrequency slot allocated to the selected protection path.

In further embodiments, the method further includes determining, inresponse to the determination that the frequency slot allocated to thefailed working path is narrower than the protection frequency slotallocated to the selected protection path, whether a second sub-slot ofthe protection frequency slot allocated to the selected protection pathwhich is not used for supporting recovery from the failure in the failedworking path is sufficient for utilization by one of a separate workingpath and a separate protection path, and effecting provisioning of thesecond sub-slot of the protection frequency slot allocated to theselected protection path to the one of the separate working path and theseparate protection path in response to a determination that the secondsub-slot of the protection frequency slot allocated to the selectedprotection path is sufficient for utilization by the one of the separateworking path and the separate protection path.

In some embodiments, the method further includes detecting an upgradeenabling utilization of J frequency slots that are wider than the widestfrequency slot of the N frequency slots allocated to the N working pathsbefore the upgrade, where J is a positive integer greater than or equalto one, and reallocating the protection frequency slots to take accountof the upgrade, the reallocating including if J≧M, increasing slotwidths of the M protection frequency slots to correspond to slot widthsof the M widest frequency slots of the J frequency slots that are widerthan the widest frequency slot of the N frequency slots allocated to theN working paths before the upgrade, and if J<M, increasing slot widthsof J of the M protection frequency slots to correspond to slot widths ofthe J frequency slots that are wider than the widest frequency slot ofthe N frequency slots allocated to the N working paths before theupgrade.

There is also provided in accordance with yet a further embodiment ofthe present invention an elastic optical network (EON) including aplurality of network elements (NEs), a set of N working paths over whichthe NEs communicate with one another, the N working paths beingallocated N frequency slots of L different slot widths, and M protectionpaths operative to protect communication over the working paths andhaving the following protection frequency slots allocated thereto: ifM<L, M protection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to the Mgreatest different slot widths of the L different slot widths, if M=L, Mprotection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to the Ldifferent slot widths, and if M>L, L protection frequency slots of slotwidths corresponding to the L different slot widths and M−L additionalprotection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to at least oneof the L different slot widths, wherein N, L, and M are positiveintegers, N≧L>1, and N>M>1.

In some embodiments, the EON further includes a network control andmanagement system (NCMS) operative to allocate the N frequency slots ofL different slot widths to the N working paths and the M protectionfrequency slots to the M protection paths. In other embodiments, one ofthe NEs is operative to allocate the N frequency slots of L differentslot widths to the N working paths and the M protection frequency slotsto the M protection paths.

In some embodiments, the EON further includes a control plane via whichthe N working paths and the M protection paths are provisioned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully fromthe following detailed description, taken in conjunction with thedrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustration of an elastic opticalnetwork (EON) constructed and operative in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram illustration of apparatus in theEON of FIG. 1 for enabling recovery from one or more failures, theapparatus being constructed and operative in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a prospective example of frequencyallocation usable with the EON of FIG. 1 and the apparatus of FIG. 2 andwith an M:N recovery scheme, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a prospective example of frequencyallocation usable with the EON of FIG. 1 and the apparatus of FIG. 2 andwith a 1:N recovery scheme, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4B is a prospective example of a modification of the frequencyallocation of FIG. 4A after an upgrade;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a prospective example of frequencyallocation usable with the EON of FIG. 1 and the apparatus of FIG. 2 andwith a 1+1 or 1:1 recovery scheme, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 6 is a simplified flowchart illustration of a method of enablingrecovery from failures in an EON that uses an M:N recovery scheme, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a simplified flowchart illustration of a method of enablingrecovery from a failure in an EON that uses a 1:N recovery scheme, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a simplified flowchart illustration of a method of enablingrecovery from failures in an EON that uses a 1+1 or 1:1 recovery scheme,in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a simplified flowchart illustration of a method of enablingrecovery from failures in an EON that uses a dynamic recovery scheme, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which is a simplified block diagramillustration of an elastic optical network (EON) constructed andoperative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

The EON of FIG. 1, which is generally designated 100, includes a networkcontrol and management system (NCMS) 110 and a plurality of networkelements (NEs) 120 at nodes (not shown) of the EON 100. The NCMS 110 isoperatively associated with the NEs 120 and is operative to control theNEs 120, typically via a control plane 130 using, for example, routingand signaling control modules (not shown). The control plane 130 mayfurther be used in responding to requests, selections and controlinstructions generated by the NCMS 110 and/or one or more of the NEs120.

For simplicity of depiction and description, the NCMS 110 is shown inFIG. 1 and referred to below as a unit which is separate from the NEs120, but in some embodiments, the NCMS 110 may form one of the NEs 120or be comprised in one of the NEs 120.

The NEs 120 are operative to communicate with one another over a set ofN working paths 140 that are allocated N frequency slots of L differentslot widths, where N and L are positive integers, and N≧L>1. The Nworking paths 140 may be provisioned by the NCMS 110 or one of the NEs120, typically via the control plane 130, and the N frequency slots of Ldifferent slot widths may be allocated to the N working paths 140 by theNCMS 110 or the one of the NEs 120, respectively. The EON 100 also usesor is configured to use one or more protection paths 150 for protectingcommunication over the working paths 140.

By way of a non-limiting example, the NEs 120 may include routers and/orreconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs).

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the EON 100further includes apparatus 200 for enabling recovery from one or morefailures in one or more of the N working paths 140. The one or morefailures in one or more of the N working paths 140 may, for example,occur due to an interference effect or malfunction of one or moreoptical transmitters (not shown) transmitting optical signals overworking paths 140 associated therewith.

The apparatus 200 may be comprised in or associated with the NCMS 110 orone of the NEs 120. By way of a non-limiting example, in FIG. 1 theapparatus 200 is shown as being included in the NCMS 110.

In a case where the apparatus 200 is not comprised in the NCMS 110, suchas when the apparatus 200 is a stand-alone unit or comprised in one ofthe NEs 120, the NCMS 110 and the NEs 120 may communicate with theapparatus 200 via the control plane 130, and the apparatus 200 mayoperate under instructions from the NCMS 110, or under instructions fromany one of the NEs 120, or under instructions from both any one of theNEs 120 and the NCMS 110.

In a case where the apparatus 200 is comprised in the NCMS 110,operations attributed herein to the apparatus 200 may be viewed as beingconsequently performed by the NCMS 110. In a case where the apparatus200 is comprised in one of the NEs 120, operations attributed herein tothe apparatus 200 may be viewed as being consequently performed by theone of the NEs 120.

For simplicity of description and depiction, only sections of theworking paths 140 and the protection paths 150 between a first NE 120and a second NE 120, designated NE-A and NE-B, respectively, are shownin FIG. 1, but it is appreciated that the working paths 140 and theprotection paths 150 may include additional sections, such as, by way ofa non-limiting example, sections along a chain of linked NEs 120including NE-A and NEs 120 other than NE-B, and sections along a chainof linked NEs 120 including NE-B and NEs 120 other than NE-A.

The working paths 140 may include unidirectional working paths 140 fromNE-A to NE-B and unidirectional working paths 140 from NE-B to NE-A, andthe protection paths 150 may include unidirectional protection paths 150from NE-A to NE-B and unidirectional protection paths 150 from NE-B toNE-A, as depicted, by way of a non-limiting example, in FIG. 1. Incommunication from NE-A to NE-B, NE-A acts as an ingress node and NE-Bacts as an egress node, and in communication from NE-B to NE-A, NE-Bacts as an ingress node and NE-A acts as an egress node.

Alternatively, one or more of the working paths 140 and one or more ofthe protection paths 150 may include bidirectional paths.

In some embodiments, one or more of the protection paths 150 may includea backup label switched path (LSP).

Although referred to as protection paths, it is appreciated that atleast one of the protection paths 150 may alternatively be used forrestoration, in which case the at least one of the protection paths 150includes a restoration path.

The N frequency slots of L different slot widths are frequency slots ofa flexibly allocated optical spectrum which the EON 100 uses or isconfigured to use in order to enable mixed modulation formattransmission or mixed bit rate transmission with some bit rates forwhich fixed slot width slots do not fit, or at least do not easily fit.In a case where the L different slot widths are intended for mixed bitrate transmission, the N frequency slots of L different slot widths maybe used for L different bit rates, or for more than L different bitrates with frequency slots of similar slot widths being used for two ormore appropriate different bit rates.

In some embodiments, the N working paths 140 are allocated the Nfrequency slots of L different slot widths for use with at least Ldifferent bit rates which include at least two of the following bitrates: substantially 100 Gb/s; substantially 400 Gb/s; and substantially1 Terabit per second (Tb/s) (1 Tb/s equals 1000 Gb/s).

Throughout the present specification and claims, the term“substantially”, when used in conjunction with a specified bit-rate,refers to the specified bit rate or to approximately the specified bitrate. Thus, the term “substantially 100 Gb/s” refers to a bit rate of100 Gb/s or approximately 100 Gb/s, the term “substantially 400 Gb/s”refers to a bit rate of 400 Gb/s or approximately 400 Gb/s, the term“substantially 1000 Gb/s” or “substantially 1 Tb/s” refers to a bit rateof 1000 Gb/s (1 Tb/s) or approximately 1 Tb/s, and so forth. Forexample, which is not meant to be limiting, the bit rate ofsubstantially 100 Gb/s may be 103.125 Gb/s, which is greater than 100Gb/s. Further for example, which is not meant to be limiting, the bitrate of substantially 400 Gb/s may be four times the bit rate ofsubstantially 100 Gb/s, and in a case where the bit rate ofsubstantially 100 Gb/s is greater than 100 Gb/s the bit rate ofsubstantially 400 Gb/s is greater than 400 Gb/s.

In some embodiments, the L different slot widths may include at leasttwo of the following slot widths: 50 Gigahertz (GHz); 75 GHz; and 150GHz. By way of a non-limiting example, a frequency slot of a slot widthof 50 GHz may be usable for a bit rate of substantially 100 Gb/s as wellas for lower bit rates, such as a bit rate of 40 Gb/s, a frequency slotof a slot width of 75 GHz may be usable for a bit rate of substantially400 Gb/s, and a frequency slot of a slot width of 150 GHz may be usablefor a bit rate of substantially 1 Tb/s.

In some embodiments, the N frequency slots of L different slot widthsmay include frequency slots of a flexible dense wavelength divisionmultiplexing (DWDM) grid according to Edition 2.0 of the InternationalTelecommunication Union (ITU) Recommendation ITU-T G.694.1 (February2012). In other embodiments, the N frequency slots of L different slotwidths may include frequency slots that are flexibly allocated, but notaccording to the flexible DWDM grid according to Edition 2.0 of the ITURecommendation ITU-T G.694.1 (February 2012). In still otherembodiments, the N frequency slots of L different slot widths mayinclude a combination of some frequency slots of the flexible DWDM gridaccording to Edition 2.0 of the ITU Recommendation ITU-T G.694.1(February 2012) and some frequency slots that are flexibly allocated,but not according to the flexible DWDM grid according to Edition 2.0 ofthe ITU Recommendation ITU-T G.694.1 (February 2012).

In some embodiments, the flexible DWDM grid may span or be within ITUspecified C band. In other embodiments, the flexible DWDM grid may spanor be within other ITU specified bands, such as ITU specified S or Lbands.

The EON 100 may be directly configured as an EON utilizing the flexiblyallocated optical spectrum, or evolve from an optical network thatinitially uses a fixed DWDM grid and then at some point is at leastpartially upgraded and consequently reconfigured to utilize a flexiblyallocated optical spectrum, at least in communication among some of theNEs 120. The apparatus 200 may, for example, be installed in the EON 100and/or operated in the EON 100 as part of such upgrade andreconfiguration.

In operation, the NCMS 110 or one of the NEs 120, such as, by way of anon-limiting example, NE-A or NE-B, may allocate the N frequency slotsof L different slot widths to the working paths 140 and provision theworking paths 140 via the control plane 130, and employ the apparatus200 in applying a recovery scheme for use in the EON 100.

The apparatus 200 is operative to take account of the L different slotwidths of the N allocated frequency slots upon application of and/or inconnection with application of any one of various recovery schemes.Non-limiting examples of the various recovery schemes include thefollowing: an M:N recovery scheme; a 1:N recovery scheme; a 1+1 recoveryscheme; a 1:1 recovery scheme; and a dynamic recovery scheme.

In the M:N recovery scheme, the N working paths 140 are protected by Mprotection paths 150, where M is a positive integer, and N>M>1.

In the 1:N recovery scheme, the N working paths 140 are protected by oneprotection path 150.

In the 1+1 recovery scheme, as well as in the 1:1 recovery scheme, eachworking path 140 is backed up by one protection path 150, and thereforethe N working paths 140 are backed up by N protection paths 150. Theworking paths 140 and the protection paths 150 may be provisioned overthe same link which may include, for example, an optical fiber (notshown), or over separate links having common ingress and egress nodes,for example in order to enable recovery from failures in all of the Nworking paths 140. Failures in all the N working paths 140 may, forexample, occur when a failure occurs in an entire link over which the Nworking paths 140 are provisioned, such as when the link is disconnecteddue to, for example, an optical fiber cut.

In 1+1 recovery, normal traffic is duplicated at an ingress node and onecopy is transmitted to an egress node over a working path 140 andanother copy is transmitted to the egress node over a protection path150 associated with the working path 140. The egress node forwards onlyone copy of the traffic to a destination so that if a failure occurs inone of the working path 140 and the associated protection path 150, theegress node forwards the copy from the unfailing path, which becomes theactual protection path. In 1:1 recovery, normal traffic is transferredfrom the working path 140 to the associated protection path 150 when afailure occurs in the working path 140.

In the dynamic recovery scheme, no protection path is provisioned inadvance, and operations to attain recovery are carried out dynamicallyupon reporting of a failure.

The apparatus 200 may apply any selected one of the various recoveryschemes, or operate in response to a signaled instruction resulting fromapplication of the selected one of the various recovery schemes or asignaled input indicating application of the selected one of the variousrecovery schemes. The signaled instruction or signaled input may bereceived at the apparatus 200 from a network operator (not shown), fromthe NCMS 110, from the one of the NEs 120, or from network equipment(not shown) located outside the apparatus 200, for example uponinstallation of the apparatus 200 or at a later stage.

When the NCMS 110 or the one of the NEs 120 uses the apparatus 200 inapplying an M:N recovery scheme, the apparatus 200 allocates Mprotection frequency slots to M protection paths 150 as follows:

-   -   (a) If M<L, the apparatus 200 allocates M protection frequency        slots of slot widths corresponding to the M greatest different        slot widths of the L different slot widths to the M protection        paths 150,    -   (b) If M=L, the apparatus 200 allocates M protection frequency        slots of slot widths corresponding to the L different slot        widths to the M protection paths 150, and    -   (c) If M>L, the apparatus 200 allocates L protection frequency        slots of slot widths corresponding to the L different slot        widths to L of the M protection paths 150 and further allocates        M−L protection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to        at least one of the L different slot widths to the remaining M−L        protection paths 150.

After the apparatus 200 allocates the M protection frequency slots tothe M protection paths 150 the apparatus 200 effects provisioning of theM protection paths 150. The term “effecting provisioning”, in all of itsgrammatical forms, is used throughout the present specification andclaims to include actual performance of provisioning or causingprovisioning to be performed, such as by transmitting an instruction toperform provisioning. Consequently, the apparatus 200 or the NCMS 110 orthe one of the NEs 120 provisions the M protection paths 150, andpossibly related resources, such as optical transceivers (not shown)suitable for communication over the M protection paths 150, via thecontrol plane 130 for supporting recovery from failures in up to M ofthe N working paths 140. Thereafter, when failures are identified in Kof the N working paths 140, that is K of the N working paths 140 areidentified as failed working paths 140, where K is a positive integersuch that 1≦K≦M, the apparatus 200 determines slot widths of the Kfailed working paths 140, and the one of the NEs 120 or the NCMS 110selects and uses K of the M protection paths 150 which have slot widthscorresponding to slot widths of the K failed working paths 140 forrecovering from the failures.

When the NCMS 110 or the one of the NEs 120 uses the apparatus 200 inapplying a 1:N recovery scheme, the apparatus 200 allocates oneprotection frequency slot of a slot width which is substantially equalto or greater than a slot width of the widest frequency slot of the Nfrequency slots to one protection path 150, and effects provisioning ofthe one protection path 150. Consequently, the apparatus 200 or the NCMS110 or the one of the NEs 120 provisions the one protection path 150,and possibly related resources, such as optical transceivers (not shown)suitable for communication over the one protection path 150, via thecontrol plane 130 for supporting recovery from a failure. Thereafter,when one of the N working paths 140 is identified as a failed workingpath 140, the NCMS 110 or the one of the NEs 120 uses the one protectionpath 150 for recovering from the failure.

When the NCMS 110 or the one of the NEs 120 uses the apparatus 200 inapplying a 1+1 recovery scheme or a 1:1 recovery scheme, the apparatus200 allocates N protection frequency slots of slot widths correspondingto the slot widths of the N working paths 140 to N protection paths 150,respectively associates each working path 140 with a protection path 150having a slot width which is similar to a slot width of the associatedworking path 140, and effects provisioning of the N protection paths150. Consequently, the apparatus 200 or the NCMS 110 or the one of theNEs 120 provisions the N protection paths 150, and possibly relatedresources, such as optical transceivers (not shown) suitable forcommunication over the N protection paths 150, via the control plane 130for supporting recovery from failures in up to N of the N working paths140. Thereafter, if a 1+1 recovery scheme is applied and one of the Nworking paths 140 is identified as a failed working path 140, the NCMS110 or the one of the NEs 120 instructs an NE 120 acting as an egressnode associated with the failed working path 140 to forward a copy oftraffic carried over the protection path 150 associated with the failedworking path 140 to a destination. If a 1:1 recovery scheme is appliedand one of the N working paths 140 is identified as a failed workingpath 140, the NCMS 110 or the one of the NEs 120 instructs an NE 120acting as an ingress node associated with the failed working path 140 totransfer normal traffic from the failed working path 140 to theprotection path 150 associated with the failed working path 140.

When the NCMS 110 or the one of the NEs 120 uses the apparatus 200 inapplying a dynamic recovery scheme, the apparatus 200 stands by toreceive, for example from an NE 120, a failure indication messageindicating a failed working path 140. Upon receipt of the failureindication message, the apparatus 200 checks a slot width of the failedworking path 140 to determine slot width thereof, allocates a protectionfrequency slot of a slot width which is substantially equal to the slotwidth of the failed working path 140 to a protection path 150, andeffects provisioning of the protection path 150. Consequently, theapparatus 200 or the NCMS 110 or the one of the NEs 120 provisions theprotection path 150, and possibly related resources, such as opticaltransceivers (not shown) suitable for communication over the protectionpath 150, via the control plane 130 for supporting recovery from thefailure, and instructs affected NEs 120 to use the protection path 150instead of the failed working path 140. Such a process leading toprovisioning of the protection path 150 may be dynamically repeated foradditional protection paths 150 when additional working paths 140 fail.

In some embodiments, the EON 100 supports a plug-and-play mode. In theplug-and-play mode, the NCMS 110 or the apparatus 200 monitors thecontrol plane 130 to automatically detect installation of equipment inthe EON 100 or an upgrade to existing equipment in the EON 100, andautomatically allocates frequency slots to the working paths 140 afterinstallation of the equipment or automatically reallocates frequencyslots to the working paths 140 after the upgrade if such reallocation isto be effected. Assuming one of the recovery schemes mentioned above isapplied, the apparatus 200 automatically operates in a manner asdescribed above regarding the applied recovery scheme. Non-limitingexamples of such equipment that may be installed or upgraded in the EON100 include NEs or optical devices within NEs, such as opticaltransceivers.

Reference is now additionally made to FIG. 2, which is a simplifiedblock diagram illustration of the apparatus 200 of FIG. 1, the apparatus200 being constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

The apparatus 200 includes a processor 210 and a control plane interface220. The control plane interface 220 is operatively associated with theprocessor 210. The processor 210 is operative to allocate one or moreprotection frequency slots to one or more protection paths 150, and thecontrol plane interface 220 is operative to effect provisioning of theone or more protection paths 150 for supporting recovery from one ormore failures.

The term “processor” is used throughout the present specification andclaims to include any type of computational device with built-in orassociated memory subsystem and input/output (I/O) subsystem/interfaceand capable of performing functions attributed to or associated with theprocessor, such as, but not limited to, one or more of the followingdevices or combinations thereof: a microprocessor; a processor; acontroller; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a programmable logicdevice (PLD); and an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

In some embodiments, the apparatus 200 further includes an input unit230 as depicted, by way of a non-limiting example, in FIG. 2. The inputunit 230 is operatively associated with the processor 210 and isoperative to receive one or more instructions or messages for use by theprocessor 210.

In some other embodiments, the input unit 230 may be located outside theapparatus 200 and be operatively associated therewith.

The control plane interface 220 may be implemented in software or inhardware, or in a combination of software and hardware. The controlplane interface 220 may be integrated with the processor 210 andimplemented, by way of a non-limiting example, in one or more integratedcircuits (ICs).

In some embodiments, a table with a list of the N working paths 140, alist of the N frequency slots allocated to the N working paths 140, anda list of slot widths of the N frequency slots may be produced, forexample by the processor 210, and implemented as a look-up table (LUT).The LUT may be stored in a memory subsystem (not shown) of the processor210 or in an external storage device (not shown) accessible by theprocessor 210. The processor 210 may read and retrieve information fromthe LUT, and may write information into and change entries in the LUT,for example as a result of computations performed by the processor 210.In embodiments in which the LUT is implemented, the processor 210 maydetermine a slot width of any one of the N working paths 140 byconsulting the LUT, and may use one or more determined slot width valuesfor various computations and/or provide the one or more determined slotwidth values to the NCMS 110 or to one or more of the NEs 120, forexample via the control plane 130.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, which mayparticularly, but not only, be useful for M:N recovery, the apparatus200 is operative to enable recovery from failures in up to M workingpaths 140 of the set of N working paths 140. In order to enable suchrecovery, the processor 210 allocates protection frequency slots to Mprotection paths 150, and the control plane interface 220 effectsprovisioning of the M protection paths 150 for supporting recovery fromthe failures. The processor 210 is operative to allocate the protectionfrequency slots to the M protection paths 150 in different mannersdepending on whether M is greater than L, equal to L or less than L.Specifically, the processor 210 is operative to allocate the protectionfrequency slots to the M protection paths 150 as follows:

-   -   (a) If M<L, to allocate M protection frequency slots of slot        widths corresponding to the M greatest different slot widths of        the L different slot widths to the M protection paths 150,    -   (b) If M=L, to allocate M protection frequency slots of slot        widths corresponding to the L different slot widths to the M        protection paths 150, and    -   (c) If M>L, to allocate L protection frequency slots of slot        widths corresponding to the L different slot widths to L of the        M protection paths 150, and to allocate M−L additional        protection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to at        least one of the L different slot widths to the remaining M−L        protection paths 150.

In some embodiments, the processor 210 may first compare M to L todetermine a satisfied one of the conditions, and then carry outallocation of the M protection frequency slots to the M protection paths150 according to the satisfied one of the conditions.

In some embodiments, when the condition M<L is satisfied, the processor210 may compute the M greatest different slot widths of the L differentslot widths, for example by comparing the L different slot widths to oneanother and obtaining a result comprising the M greatest different slotwidth values.

In some embodiments, the processor 210 may allocate the M protectionfrequency slots to the M protection paths 150 automatically. In otherembodiments, the processor 210 may allocate the M protection frequencyslots to the M protection paths 150 in response to an externallygenerated instruction or message that may be received, for example fromthe NCMS 110 or from one of the NEs 120, at an I/O subsystem/interface(not shown) of the processor 210, or at the input unit 230 inembodiments in which the input unit 230 is used.

In some embodiments, the control plane interface 220 may effectprovisioning of the M protection paths 150 automatically followingallocation of the M protection frequency slots by the processor 210. Insome other embodiments, the control plane interface 220 may effectprovisioning of the M protection paths 150 in response to a message orinstruction provided by the processor 210.

The frequency slots allocated to the N working paths 140 may change overtime, for example, due to an upgrade causing modification of one or moreof the frequency slots allocated to the working paths 140. Such anupgrade may cause such a modification by, for example, enablingutilization, for one or more of the working paths 140, of one or morefrequency slots that are wider than a current widest frequency slot ofthe N frequency slots. By way of a non-limiting example, the upgrade mayinclude one or more of the following: an upgrade of the EON 100; anupgrade of at least one of the NEs 120; an upgrade of at least oneoptical device in at least one of the NEs 120; and an upgrade of anoptical device in the EON 100. By way of a non-limiting example, theupgrade may include an upgrade to enable communication at a faster bitrate than a bit rate of communication before the upgrade.

In some embodiments, when such an upgrade occurs, the processor 210detects occurrence of the upgrade or receives an indication ofoccurrence of the upgrade, for example from the NCMS 110, and thenchecks to detect if the upgrade enables utilization of frequency slotsthat are wider than the widest frequency slot of the N frequency slotsbefore the upgrade. If the upgrade enables utilization of J suchfrequency slots that are wider than the widest frequency slot of the Nfrequency slots before the upgrade for J or more working paths 140,where J is a positive integer greater than or equal to one, theprocessor 210 may reallocate the protection frequency slots to takeaccount of the upgrade. If J≧M, such reallocation may be performed byincreasing slot widths of the M protection frequency slots to correspondto slot widths of the M widest frequency slots of the J frequency slotsthat are wider than the widest frequency slot of the N frequency slotsbefore the upgrade, and if J<M, such reallocation may be performed byincreasing slot widths of J of the M protection frequency slots tocorrespond to slot widths of the J frequency slots that are wider thanthe widest frequency slot of the N frequency slots before the upgrade.It is appreciated that if the upgrade does not enable utilization offrequency slots that are wider than the widest frequency slot of the Nfrequency slots before the upgrade, the processor 210 may, for example,determine that no reallocation of the protection frequency slots is tobe effected.

In one embodiment, the processor 210 may detect occurrence of theupgrade automatically.

By reallocating the protection frequency slots to take account of anupgrade that enables utilization of frequency slots that are wider thanthe widest frequency slot before the upgrade, the apparatus 200 providesan adaptable capability of enabling an M:N recovery scheme.

In some embodiments, one or more of the M protection frequency slots maybe used in separate sub-slots, that is, for at least one of the Mprotection frequency slots only a sub-slot of the protection frequencyslot is used for protecting one working path 140, thereby leavingresidue bandwidth of the protection frequency slot which may beavailable for other uses. For example, the processor 210 may receivefrom one of the NEs 120 a failure indication message identifying afailed working path 140, and the one of the NEs 120 may select one ofthe M protection paths 150 for use in recovering from the failure in thefailed working path 140 and inform the processor 210 of the selectedprotection path 150. The processor 210 may then determine whether afrequency slot allocated to the failed working path 140 is narrower thana protection frequency slot allocated to the selected protection path150. In response to a determination that the frequency slot allocated tothe failed working path 140 is narrower than the protection frequencyslot allocated to the selected protection path 150, the control planeinterface 220 may effect provisioning of only a first sub-slot of theprotection frequency slot allocated to the selected protection path 150that has a slot width corresponding to a slot width of the failedworking path 140 for supporting recovery from the failure in the failedworking path 140, thereby leaving residue bandwidth of the selectedprotection path 150 which may be available for other uses. By way of anon-limiting example, if a frequency slot allocated to the failedworking path 140 has a slot width of 50 GHz, and the one of the NEs 120selects a protection path 150 that has an allocated protection frequencyslot of a 150 GHz slot width because no other protection path 150 with anarrower protection frequency slot is currently available, the processor210 may determine the first sub-slot of the protection frequency slot ofthe selected protection path 150 as a sub-slot of a 50 GHz slot widthand instruct the control plane interface 220 to effect provisioning ofonly the first sub-slot of the protection frequency slot of the selectedprotection path 150 for supporting recovery from the failure in thefailed working path 140, thereby leaving 100 GHz of the protectionfrequency slot allocated to the selected protection path 150 asavailable residue bandwidth.

In further embodiments, the processor 210 may further determine, inresponse to the determination that the frequency slot allocated to thefailed working path 140 is narrower than the protection frequency slotallocated to the selected protection path 150, whether a second sub-slotof the protection frequency slot allocated to the selected protectionpath 150 which is not used for supporting recovery from the failure inthe failed working path 140 is sufficient for utilization by one of aseparate working path 140 and a separate protection path 150. The secondsub-slot of the protection frequency slot allocated to the selectedprotection path 150 may include the entire residue bandwidth of theselected protection path 150 or a portion thereof. In response to adetermination that the second sub-slot of the protection frequency slotallocated to the selected protection path 150 is sufficient forutilization by the one of the separate working path 140 and the separateprotection path 150, the control plane interface 220 may effectprovisioning of the second sub-slot of the protection frequency slotallocated to the selected protection path 150 to the one of the separateworking path 140 and the separate protection path 150. In theabove-mentioned example in which 100 GHz of the protection frequencyslot allocated to the selected protection path 150 remains as availableresidue bandwidth, the processor 210 may, for example, determine thesecond sub-slot of the protection frequency slot allocated to theselected protection path 150 as a sub-slot of a 75 GHz slot width of theavailable residue bandwidth of the selected protection path 150, andreallocate the second sub-slot of the protection frequency slotallocated to the selected protection path 150 to a new, separate workingpath 140.

Such use in separate sub-slots may be repeated for additional protectionpaths 150 when additional working paths 140 fail.

In the embodiments in which the one or more of the M protectionfrequency slots may be used in separate sub-slots there may be a case inwhich available residue bandwidth of one protection frequency slot isinsufficient for a separate working path 140 or a separate protectionpath 150, but combined available residue bandwidth of two or moreprotection frequency slots is sufficient for the separate working path140 or the separate protection path 150. When occurrence of such a caseis determined by the processor 210, the processor 210 may reallocate thecombined available residue bandwidth of two or more protection frequencyslots to the separate working path 140 or the separate protection path150.

It is appreciated that when protection frequency slots are used inseparate sub-slots, related resources which are suitable for use withthe separate sub-slots may also be provisioned, typically by the NCMS110 or by the one of the NEs 120.

It is further appreciated that when protection frequency slots are usedin separate sub-slots and available residue bandwidth of one or moreprotection frequency slots is reallocated to one or more separateprotection paths 150, the actual number of protection paths 150increases. In the above-mentioned example in which 100 GHz of theprotection frequency slot allocated to the selected protection path 150remains as available residue bandwidth, the processor 210 may, forexample, allocate the second sub-slot to one separate protection path150 instead of to the separate working path 140, thereby increasing theactual number of protection paths 150 by one, or may even allocate twosub-slots of the available residue bandwidth, each of 50 GHz slot width,to two separate protection paths 150, thereby increasing the actualnumber of protection paths 150 by two. In a case where a reversionprocedure may be applied to transfer normal traffic from the selectedprotection path 150 back to the failed working path 140 after thefailure in the failed working path 140 is repaired, allocation andutilization of the residue bandwidth may be terminated substantiallywhen the reversion procedure is applied so as to enable the selectedprotection path 150 to return to its full capacity of protecting anyworking path 140 having a frequency slot which is narrower than or ofthe width of the protection frequency slot allocated to the selectedprotection path 150, and at such stage the actual number of protectionpaths 150 returns to be M.

As mentioned above, the embodiment in which the apparatus 200 isoperative to enable recovery from failures in up to M working paths 140of the set of N working paths 140 may particularly be useful for M:Nrecovery, and a prospective example of frequency allocation applicableto such embodiment and usable with the EON 100 and the apparatus 200 andwith an M:N recovery scheme is illustrated in FIG. 3, to which referenceis now additionally made.

In the example of frequency allocation of FIG. 3, which is not meant tobe limiting, L=2, M=3, and the N working paths 140 are allocatedfrequency slots of a 50 GHz slot width for communication at a bit rateof substantially 100 Gb/s, and frequency slots of a 75 GHz slot widthfor communication at a bit rate of substantially 400 Gb/s. In accordancewith the embodiment in which the apparatus 200 is operative to enablerecovery from failures in up to M working paths 140 of the set of Nworking paths 140, and since M>L, a protection frequency slot of a 50GHz slot width is allocated to a first one of the three protection paths150, a protection frequency slot of a 75 GHz slot width is allocated toa second one of the three protection paths 150, and, by way of anon-limiting example, a protection frequency slot of a 50 GHz slot widthmay be allocated to the remaining third protection path 150.

In FIG. 3, the N frequency slots allocated to the N working paths 140and the M protection frequency slots are depicted, by way of anon-limiting example, as being separated by frequency ranges that areunallocated. An unallocated frequency range separating two allocatedfrequency slots is referred to as a guard band. The guard bands in FIG.3 are depicted as being of various widths and narrower than thefrequency slots, but it is appreciated that the guard bands may be offixed widths and/or of widths which may, by way of a non-limitingexample, be similar to or greater than a slot width of any one of thefrequency slots. It is further appreciated that only some of thefrequency slots of the working paths 140 and/or the protection paths 150may alternatively be separated by guard bands. Further alternatively,the frequency slots may be allocated to the N working paths 140 and theM protection paths 150 without using any guard bands between frequencyslots.

In the example of frequency allocation of FIG. 3 a slot width of thewidest frequency slot is 75 GHz. By way of a non-limiting example, if,in the example of frequency allocation of FIG. 3, an upgrade occurs,which upgrade enables utilization of a frequency slot of a 150 GHz slotwidth for one of the working paths 140 being allocated a frequency slotof a 50 GHz slot width before the upgrade, the processor 210 may, forexample, increase slot width of the third protection path 150 to a slotwidth of 150 GHz. However, if the upgrade does not enable utilization ofa frequency slot that is wider than the widest frequency slot before theupgrade, but rather enables, for example, utilization of a frequencyslot of a 75 GHz slot width for the one of the working paths 140 beingallocated a frequency slot of a 50 GHz slot width before the upgrade,the processor 210 may determine that no reallocation of the protectionfrequency slots is to be effected because the second one of the threeprotection paths 150 has an allocated protection frequency slot of a 75GHz slot width and can thus be suitable for protecting any one of theworking paths 140 being allocated a frequency slot of a slot width whichis less than or equal to 75 GHz.

Referring now back to FIG. 2, in accordance with another embodiment ofthe present invention, which may particularly, but not only, be usefulfor 1:N recovery, the apparatus 200 is operative to enable recovery froma failure in any one working path 140 of the set of N working paths 140.In order to enable such recovery, the processor 210 allocates aprotection frequency slot of a slot width which is substantially equalto or greater than a slot width of the widest frequency slot of the Nfrequency slots to a protection path 150, and the control planeinterface 220 effects provisioning of the protection path 150 forsupporting recovery from the failure.

In some embodiments, the processor 210 may allocate the protectionfrequency slot to the protection path 150 automatically. In otherembodiments, the processor 210 may allocate the protection frequencyslot to the protection path 150 in response to an externally generatedinstruction or message that may be received, for example from the NCMS110 or from one of the NEs 120, at the I/O subsystem/interface of theprocessor 210, or at the input unit 230 in embodiments in which theinput unit 230 is used. The externally generated instruction or messagemay include, or be accompanied by, one of an instruction to compute thewidest frequency slot of the N frequency slots and an input indicatingthe widest frequency slot of the N frequency slots. It is appreciatedthat the processor 210 may compute the widest frequency slot of the Nfrequency slots, for example by comparing slot widths of the N frequencyslots to one another and obtaining a result comprising the greatest slotwidth value.

In some embodiments, the control plane interface 220 may effectprovisioning of the protection path 150 automatically followingallocation of the protection frequency slot by the processor 210. Insome other embodiments, the control plane interface 220 may effectprovisioning of the protection path 150 in response to a message orinstruction provided by the processor 210.

In some embodiments, in order to allocate the protection frequency slot,the widest frequency slot of the N frequency slots is first determined,for example by the processor 210, and the protection frequency slot isthen allocated to the protection path 150 in response to a determinationof the widest frequency slot of the N frequency slots. In oneembodiment, the widest frequency slot of the N frequency slots isdetermined automatically. In embodiments in which the LUT isimplemented, the processor 210 may determine the widest frequency slotof the N frequency slots from the LUT.

The widest frequency slot of the N frequency slots allocated to theworking paths 140 may change over time, for example, due to an upgradeof the type mentioned above in connection with the embodiment in whichthe apparatus 200 is operative to enable recovery from failures in up toM working paths 140 of the set of N working paths 140. The processor 210may detect occurrence of the upgrade automatically or receive anindication of occurrence of the upgrade, for example from the NCMS 110,and in response, if the upgrade enables utilization, for at least one ofthe N working paths, of a frequency slot which is wider than a currentwidest frequency slot, the processor 210 increases slot width of theprotection frequency slot, for example to that of the frequency slotwhich is wider than the current widest frequency slot.

In some embodiments, the protection frequency slot may be used inseparate sub-slots. In such embodiments, use in separate sub-slots ofthe protection frequency slot may be similar to use in separatesub-slots of any one of the M protection frequency slots in theembodiment in which the apparatus 200 is operative to enable recoveryfrom failures in up to M working paths 140 of the set of N working paths140, and functionality of the apparatus 200 in respect of use inseparate sub-slots of the protection frequency slot may be similar tofunctionality of the apparatus 200 in respect of use in separatesub-slots of any one of the M protection frequency slots in theembodiment in which the apparatus 200 is operative to enable recoveryfrom failures in up to M working paths 140 of the set of N working paths140.

It is, however, appreciated that in a 1:N recovery scheme, in a casewhere the protection frequency slot is used in separate sub-slots andavailable residue bandwidth of the protection path 150 is reallocated toone or more separate protection paths 150, the actual number ofprotection paths 150 increases. Such an increase in the actual number ofprotection paths 150 turns the 1:N recovery scheme into an M:N recoveryscheme. However, a capacity of supporting recovery from failures in suchM:N recovery scheme is limited to failures in working paths 140 thathave frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to or less than slotwidths of the separate sub-slots assuming bandwidth squeezedrestoration, such as mentioned in the above-mentioned article entitled“Spectrum-Efficient and Scalable Elastic Optical Path Network:Architecture, Benefits, and Enabling Technologies”, by Masahiko Jinno,Hidehiko Takara, Bartlomiej Kozicki, Yukio Tsukishima, Yoshiaki Sone,and Shinji Matsuoka, in IEEE Communications Magazine, November 2009,pages 66-73 and also in the above-mentioned article entitled“Spectrum-Efficient and Agile CO-OFDM Optical Transport Networks:Architecture, Design, and Operation”, by Gangxiang Shen and MosheZukerman, in IEEE Communications Magazine, May 2012, pages 82-89, is notused.

In a case where a reversion procedure may be applied to transfer normaltraffic from the protection path 150 back to the failed working path 140after the failure in the failed working path 140 is repaired, allocationand utilization of the residue bandwidth of the protection path 150 maybe terminated substantially when the reversion procedure is applied soas to enable the protection path 150 to return to its full capacity ofprotecting any working path 140 of the set of N working paths 140, andat such stage the M:N recovery scheme with limited capacity reverts tothe 1:N recovery scheme.

It is appreciated that when the protection frequency slot is used inseparate sub-slots, related resources which are suitable for use withthe separate sub-slots may also be provisioned, typically by the NCMS110 or by the one of the NEs 120.

As mentioned above, the embodiment in which the apparatus 200 isoperative to enable recovery from a failure in any one working path 140of the set of N working paths 140 may particularly be useful for 1:Nrecovery, and prospective examples of frequency allocation applicable tosuch embodiment and usable with the EON 100 and the apparatus 200 andwith a 1:N recovery scheme are illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B, to whichreference is now additionally made.

In the example of frequency allocation of FIG. 4A, which is not meant tobe limiting, L=2 and the N working paths 140 are allocated frequencyslots of a 50 GHz slot width for communication at a bit rate ofsubstantially 100 Gb/s, and frequency slots of a 75 GHz slot width forcommunication at a bit rate of substantially 400 Gb/s. Therefore, a slotwidth of the widest frequency slot of the N frequency slots of Ldifferent slot widths in the example of frequency allocation of FIG. 4Ais 75 GHz, and in accordance with the embodiment in which the apparatus200 is operative to enable recovery from a failure in any one workingpath 140 of the set of N working paths 140, a protection frequency slotof a slot width which is at least 75 GHz is allocated to the protectionpath 150. The protection path 150 with the slot width of at least 75 GHzcan be used to protect either a working path 140 having a 50 GHz slotwidth or a working path 140 having a 75 GHz slot width and is thereforesuitable for enabling recovery from a failure in any one working path140 of the N working paths 140 in the example of frequency allocation ofFIG. 4A regardless of slot width of the failed working path 140.

The prospective example of FIG. 4B refers to a modification of thefrequency allocation of FIG. 4A after an upgrade which results inmodification of the slot width of one of the working paths 140 from 50GHz to 150 GHz. As a result of such modification, the slot width of thewidest frequency slot of the N frequency slots increases to 150 GHz, inwhich case slot width of the protection frequency slot is increased toat least 150 GHz.

In each of FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B, the N frequency slots allocated to the Nworking paths 140 are depicted, by way of a non-limiting example, asbeing separated by guard bands. The guard bands in FIGS. 4A and 4B aredepicted as being of various widths and narrower than the frequencyslots, but it is appreciated that the guard bands may be of fixed widthsand/or of widths which may, by way of a non-limiting example, be similarto or greater than a slot width of any one of the frequency slots. It isfurther appreciated that only some of the N frequency slots mayalternatively be separated by guard bands. Further alternatively, the Nfrequency slots may be allocated to the N working paths 140 withoutusing any guard bands between frequency slots.

Referring now back to FIG. 2, in accordance with yet another embodimentof the present invention, which may particularly, but not only, beuseful for 1+1 recovery and 1:1 recovery, the apparatus 200 is operativeto enable recovery from failures in up to N working paths 140 of the setof N working paths 140. In order to enable such recovery, the processor210 allocates N protection frequency slots having slot widthscorresponding to the slot widths of the N working paths 140 to Nprotection paths 150, and the control plane interface 220 respectivelyassociates, for example in response to an instruction provided by theprocessor 210, each of the N working paths 140 with a protection path150 of the N protection paths 150 which has a slot width correspondingto a slot width of the associated working path 140 and effectsprovisioning of the N protection paths 150 for supporting recovery fromthe failures.

In some embodiments in which the LUT is implemented, the processor 210may expand the LUT, for example by adding a column, to include a list ofthe N protection paths 150 in association with the N working paths 140.Alternatively, the processor 210 may produce a separate LUT with a listof the N working paths 140 and their associated protection paths 150.

In some embodiments, the processor 210 may allocate the N protectionfrequency slots to the N protection paths 150 automatically. In otherembodiments, the processor 210 may allocate the N protection frequencyslots to the N protection paths 150 in response to an externallygenerated instruction or message that may be received, for example fromthe NCMS 110 or from one of the NEs 120, at the I/O subsystem/interfaceof the processor 210, or at the input unit 230 in embodiments in whichthe input unit 230 is used.

In some embodiments, the control plane interface 220 may effectprovisioning of the N protection paths 150 automatically followingallocation of the N protection frequency slots by the processor 210. Insome other embodiments, the control plane interface 220 may effectprovisioning of the N protection paths 150 in response to a message orinstruction provided by the processor 210.

In one embodiment, the processor 210 may change slot widths of theprotection frequency slots allocated to the N protection paths 150according to changes in slot widths of the frequency slots allocated tothe N working paths 140, respectively.

In one embodiment, the processor 210 may also, for example, change adistribution of the protection frequency slots allocated to the Nprotection paths 150 while maintaining slot widths correspondence withthe frequency slots of the N working paths 140. For example, which isnot meant to be limiting, if working paths 140 of a subset of the Nworking paths 140 are allocated frequency slots of similar slot widths,any protection path 150 of a corresponding subset of the N protectionpaths 150 may be used to protect any working path 140 of the subset ofthe N working paths 140. Therefore, changing an arrangement of theprotection paths 150 of the subset of the N protection paths 150 resultsin a different distribution of the protection frequency slots allocatedto the N protection paths 150, but maintains slot widths correspondencewith the frequency slots of the N working paths 140.

As mentioned above, the embodiment in which the apparatus 200 isoperative to enable recovery from failures in up to N working paths 140of the set of N working paths 140 may particularly be useful for 1+1recovery and 1:1 recovery, and a prospective example of frequencyallocation applicable to such embodiment and usable with the EON 100 andthe apparatus 200 and with a 1+1 or 1:1 recovery scheme is illustratedin FIG. 5, to which reference is now additionally made.

In the example of frequency allocation of FIG. 5, which is not meant tobe limiting, N=4, two of the four working paths 140 are allocatedfrequency slots of a 50 GHz slot width for communication at a bit rateof substantially 100 Gb/s, a third one of the four working paths 140 isallocated a frequency slot of a 75 GHz slot width for communication at abit rate of substantially 400 Gb/s, and a fourth one of the four workingpaths 140 is allocated a frequency slot of a 150 GHz slot width forcommunication at a bit rate of substantially 1 Tb/s. In accordance withthe embodiment in which the apparatus 200 is operative to enablerecovery from failures in up to N working paths 140 of the set of Nworking paths 140, a protection frequency slot of a 50 GHz slot width isallocated to each of two protection paths 150, a protection frequencyslot of a 75 GHz slot width is allocated to a third protection path 150,and a protection frequency slot of a 150 GHz slot width is allocated toa fourth protection path 150. A first one of the two working paths 140that are allocated frequency slots of a 50 GHz slot width is associatedwith a first one of the two protection paths 150 that are allocatedprotection frequency slots of a 50 GHz slot width, a second one of thetwo working paths 140 that are allocated frequency slots of a 50 GHzslot width is associated with a second one of the two protection paths150 that are allocated protection frequency slots of a 50 GHz slotwidth, the working path 140 that is allocated a frequency slot of a 75GHz slot width is associated with the protection path 150 that isallocated a protection frequency slot of a 75 GHz slot width, and theworking path 140 that is allocated a frequency slot of a 150 GHz slotwidth is associated with the protection path 150 that is allocated aprotection frequency slot of a 150 GHz slot width.

In FIG. 5, the N frequency slots allocated to the N working paths 140and the N protection frequency slots are depicted, by way of anon-limiting example, as being separated by guard bands. The guard bandsin FIG. 5 are depicted as being of various widths and narrower than thefrequency slots, but it is appreciated that the guard bands may be offixed widths and/or of widths which may, by way of a non-limitingexample, be similar to or greater than a slot width of any one of thefrequency slots. It is further appreciated that only some of thefrequency slots of the working paths 140 and/or the protection paths 150may alternatively be separated by guard bands. Further alternatively,the frequency slots may be allocated to the N working paths 140 and theN protection paths 150 without using any guard bands between frequencyslots.

Referring to the embodiment in which the processor 210 may also change adistribution of the protection frequency slots allocated to the Nprotection paths 150 while maintaining slot widths correspondence withthe frequency slots of the N working paths 140 when applied to theexample of FIG. 5, the processor 210 may, for example, change thedistribution of frequency slots allocated to the protection paths 150 soas to reallocate the protection frequency slots of 50 GHz slot widthsaround center frequencies that are higher than a center frequency of thefrequency slot of 150 GHz slot width. In such a case, the reallocatedfrequency slots of 50 GHz slot widths may still be used for protectingthe two of the four working paths 140 that are allocated frequency slotsof a 50 GHz slot width.

The example of frequency allocation of FIG. 5 refers to a case where theworking paths 140 and the protection paths 150 are provisioned over thesame link, and therefore the working paths 140 and the protection paths150 are allocated frequency slots in separate frequency sub-bands. Ifthe working paths 140 and the protection paths 150 are provisioned overseparate links, frequency slots allocated to the working paths 140 in afirst link may be similar to frequency slots allocated to the protectionpaths 150 in a separate second link, or different than frequency slotsallocated to the protection paths 150 in the separate second link, oroverlap frequency slots allocated to the protection paths 150 in theseparate second link.

Referring now back to FIG. 2, in accordance with yet another embodimentof the present invention the apparatus 200 is operative to enabledynamic recovery from a failure in a working path 140 of the set of Nworking paths 140. In case a failure occurs in a working path 140, theprocessor 210 receives from one of the NEs 120 a failure indicationmessage identifying the failed working path 140, and in response toreceipt of the failure indication message, the processor 210 checks aslot width of the failed working path 140 to determine slot widththereof. The processor 210 then allocates a protection frequency slot ofa slot width which is substantially equal to the slot width of thefailed working path 140 to a protection path 150, and the control planeinterface 220 effects provisioning of the protection path 150 forsupporting recovery from the failure.

In some embodiments in which the LUT is implemented, the processor 210may consult the LUT to check the slot width of the failed working path140.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which is a simplified flowchartillustration of a method of enabling recovery from failures in an EONthat uses an M:N recovery scheme, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

A set of N working paths that are allocated N frequency slots of Ldifferent slot widths is provisioned (step 600). It is appreciated thatthe method of FIG. 6 is intended to enable recovery from failures in upto M working paths of the N working paths, where M, N and L are positiveintegers, N≧L>1, and N>M>1.

Protection frequency slots are allocated to M protection paths asfollows (step 610): (a) if M<L, M protection frequency slots of slotwidths corresponding to the M greatest different slot widths of the Ldifferent slot widths are allocated to the M protection paths, (b) ifM=L, M protection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to the Ldifferent slot widths are allocated to the M protection paths, and (c)if M>L, L protection frequency slots of slot widths corresponding to theL different slot widths are allocated to L of the M protection paths andM−L additional protection frequency slots of slot widths correspondingto at least one of the L different slot widths are allocated to theremaining M−L protection paths.

After protection frequency slots are allocated to the M protectionpaths, provisioning of the M protection paths for supporting recoveryfrom failures in up to M working paths is effected (step 620).

In some embodiments, M is compared to L to determine a satisfied one ofthe conditions of step 610, and allocation of the M protection frequencyslots to the M protection paths in step 610 is carried out according tothe satisfied one of the conditions.

Reference is now made to FIG. 7, which is a simplified flowchartillustration of a method of enabling recovery from a failure in an EONthat uses a 1:N recovery scheme, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

A set of N working paths that are allocated N frequency slots of Ldifferent slot widths is provisioned (step 700), where N and L arepositive integers, and N≧L>1. It is appreciated that the method of FIG.7 is intended to enable recovery from a failure in any one working pathof the set of N working paths.

A protection frequency slot of a slot width which is substantially equalto or greater than a slot width of the widest frequency slot of the Nfrequency slots is allocated to a protection path (step 710), andprovisioning of the protection path for supporting recovery from afailure is effected (step 720).

Reference is now made to FIG. 8, which is a simplified flowchartillustration of a method of enabling recovery from failures in an EONthat uses a 1+1 or 1:1 recovery scheme, in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention.

A set of N working paths that are allocated N frequency slots of Ldifferent slot widths is provisioned (step 800), where N and L arepositive integers, and N≧L>1. It is appreciated that the method of FIG.8 is intended to enable recovery from failures in up to N working pathsof the set of N working paths.

N protection frequency slots having slot widths corresponding to theslot widths of the N working paths are allocated to N protection paths(step 810). Each of the N working paths is respectively associated witha protection path having a slot width corresponding to a slot width ofthe associated working path (step 820), and provisioning of the Nprotection paths for supporting recovery from failures in up to Nworking paths is effected (step 830).

Reference is now made to FIG. 9, which is a simplified flowchartillustration of a method of enabling recovery from failures in an EONthat uses a dynamic recovery scheme, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention.

A set of N working paths that are allocated N frequency slots of Ldifferent slot widths is provisioned (step 900), where N and L arepositive integers, and N≧L>1. It is appreciated that the method of FIG.9 is intended to enable dynamic recovery from a failure in a workingpath of the set of N working paths.

A failure indication message identifying a failed working path of theset of N working paths is received (step 910), and a slot width of thefailed working path is checked to determine slot width thereof (step920). Then, a protection frequency slot of a slot width which issubstantially equal to the slot width of the failed working path isallocated to a protection path (step 930), and provisioning of theprotection path for supporting recovery from the failure is effected(step 940).

It is appreciated that various features of the invention which are, forclarity, described in the contexts of separate embodiments may also beprovided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, variousfeatures of the invention which are, for brevity, described in thecontext of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in anysuitable subcombination.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the presentinvention is not limited by what has been particularly shown anddescribed hereinabove. Rather the scope of the invention is defined bythe appended claims and equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of facilitating failure recovery for aplurality of working paths, wherein different ones of the working pathshave different frequency slot widths and there is a plurality (L) ofdifferent frequency slot widths of the working paths, the methodcomprising: automatically, with a computer system that controls routingof communications over the working paths, (a) defining frequency slotwidths of a plurality (M) of protection paths, wherein there are fewerprotection paths than working paths, by: (i) if the number of theprotection paths (M) is less than L, allocating frequency slot widths tothe protection paths that match the M largest different frequency slotwidths of the working paths; (ii) otherwise, allocating frequency slotwidths to L of the protection paths matching each of the L differentfrequency slot widths of the working paths; and (b) when a first of theworking paths fails, causing communications on the first failed workingpath to be routed over a first protection path of the plurality ofprotection paths, which first protection path has a frequency slot widthat least as wide as a frequency slot width of the first failed workingpath.
 2. The method of claim 1: (c) further comprising automaticallywith the computer system allocating, to a first sub-slot within thefirst protection path, a frequency sub-slot width matching the frequencyslot width of the first failed working path; and (d) wherein causingcommunications on the first failed working path to be routed over thefirst protection path comprises causing the communications to be routedover the first sub-slot.
 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising,when a second of the working paths fails, automatically with thecomputer system: (e) in response to determining, for the firstprotection path, that the width of the first protection path minus thewidth of the first sub slot is at least as large as a frequency slotwidth of the second failed working path, allocating, to a secondsub-slot within the first protection path, a frequency sub-slot widthmatching the frequency slot width of the second failed working path; and(f) causing communications on the second failed working path to berouted over the second sub-slot.
 4. The method of claim 2 furthercomprising, when a second of the working paths fails, automatically withthe computer system: (e) in response to determining, for the firstprotection path, that the width of the first protection path minus thewidth of the first sub slot is not as large as a frequency slot width ofthe second failed working path, allocating to a new protection path afrequency slot width matching the frequency slot width of the secondfailed working path, which new protection path is composed of (i) atleast a portion of the first protection path outside the first sub slotand (ii) a portion of a frequency slot of one of the plurality ofprotection paths other than the first protection path; and (f) causingcommunications on the second failed working path to be routed over thenew protection path.
 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, afterpart (a), in response to detecting a working path having a frequencyslot width that is larger than any of the L different frequency slotwidths, automatically with the computer system adjusting at least one ofthe frequency slot widths of the plurality of the protection paths sothat at least one of the M protection paths has a frequency slot widthmatching the frequency slot width of the detected working path.
 6. Themethod of claim 5 wherein the adjusting act is performed automaticallywith the computer system in response to detecting the detected workingpath as a result of detection of a change in equipment coupled to amonitored network that includes the plurality of working paths.
 7. Themethod of claim 1 wherein part (a) comprises retrieving from a look-uptable pre-stored data representing a list of frequency slot widths ofeach of the plurality of working paths.
 8. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising automatically with the computer system allocating frequencyslots of the plurality of protection paths with a frequency guard bandbetween adjacent frequency slots allocated to at least a pair of theprotection paths.
 9. A method of facilitating failure recovery for aplurality of working paths with a plurality of protection paths, whereindifferent ones of the working paths have different frequency slotwidths, wherein there is a plurality (L) of different frequency slotwidths of the working paths that is greater than the number of theprotection paths (M), and wherein the plurality of protection paths havefrequency slot widths that match the M largest different frequency slotwidths of the working paths, the method comprising automatically, with acomputer system controlling routing of communications over the workingpaths, and when a first of the working paths fails, causingcommunications on the first failed working path to be routed over afirst protection path of the plurality of protection paths, which firstprotection path has a frequency slot width at least as wide as afrequency slot width of the first failed working path.
 10. The method ofclaim 9 wherein causing communications on the first failed working pathto be routed over the first protection path comprises causing thecommunications to be routed over a first sub-slot within the firstprotection path, which first sub-slot has a frequency sub-slot widththat matches the frequency slot width of the first failed working path.11. The method of claim 10 further comprising, when a second of theworking paths fails, automatically with the computer system causingcommunications on the second failed working path to be routed over asecond sub-slot within the first protection path, which second sub-slothas a frequency sub-slot width that matches the frequency slot width ofthe second failed working path.
 12. A computer system coupled to aplurality of working paths, wherein different ones of the working pathshave different frequency slot widths and there is a plurality (L) ofdifferent frequency slot widths of the working paths, the computersystem programmed to automatically: (a) define frequency slot widths ofa plurality of protection paths coupled to the computer system, whereinthere are fewer protection paths than working paths, by: (i) if thenumber of protection paths (M) is less than L, allocating frequency slotwidths to the protection paths that match the M largest differentfrequency slot widths of the working paths; (ii) otherwise, allocatingfrequency slot widths to L of the protection paths matching each of theL different frequency slot widths of the working paths; and (b) when afirst of the working paths fails, cause communications on the firstfailed working path to be routed over a first protection path of theplurality of protection paths, which first protection path has afrequency slot width at least as wide as a frequency slot width of thefirst failed working path.
 13. The computer system of claim 12: (c)wherein the computer system is further programmed to automaticallyallocate, to a first sub-slot within the first protection path, afrequency sub-slot width matching the frequency slot width of the firstfailed working path; and (d) wherein part (b) comprises causing thecommunications to be routed over the first sub-slot.
 14. The computersystem of claim 13 wherein the computer system is further programmed toautomatically, when a second of the working paths fails: (e) in responseto determining, for the first protection path, that the width of thefirst protection path minus the width of the first sub slot is at leastas large as a frequency slot width of the second failed working path,allocate, to a second sub-slot within the first protection path, afrequency sub-slot width matching the frequency slot width of the secondfailed working path; and (f) cause communications on the second failedworking path to be routed over the second sub-slot.
 15. The computersystem of claim 13 wherein the computer system is further programmed toautomatically, when a second of the working paths fails: (e) in responseto determining, for the first protection path, that the width of thefirst protection path minus the width of the first sub slot is not aslarge as a frequency slot width of the second failed working path,allocate to a new protection path a frequency slot width matching thefrequency slot width of the second failed working path, which newprotection path is composed of (i) at least a portion of the firstprotection path outside the first sub slot and (ii) a portion of afrequency slot of one of the plurality of protection paths other thanthe first protection path; and (f) cause communications on the secondfailed working path to be routed over the new protection path.
 16. Thecomputer system of claim 12 wherein the computer system is furtherprogrammed to automatically, after part (a), in response to detecting aworking path having a frequency slot width that is larger than any ofthe L different frequency slot widths, adjust at least one of thefrequency slot widths of the plurality of the protection paths so thatat least one of the M protection paths has a frequency slot widthmatching the frequency slot width of the detected working path.
 17. Thecomputer system of claim 16 wherein the computer system is programmed todo the adjustment in response to detecting the detected working path asa result of detection of a change in equipment coupled to a monitorednetwork that includes the plurality of working paths.
 18. The computersystem of claim 12 wherein the computer system is further programmed, inpart (a), to automatically retrieve from a look-up table pre-stored datarepresenting a list of frequency slot widths of each of the plurality ofworking paths.
 19. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the computersystem is further programmed to automatically allocate frequency slotsof the plurality of protection paths with a frequency guard band betweenadjacent frequency slots allocated to at least a pair of the protectionpaths.